The invention relates to a serving and transport receptacle as defined in the preamble of claim 1.
From DE 42 31 341 A1, a receptacle for holding at least one electrically heatable food dish is known, which comprises a lower part made of heat-insulating materials and including at least one recess for receiving a food dish, and an upper part which is combinable and interlockable with the lower part and also made of a heat-insulating material. The lower part including the recess is provided with electric connection means which are line-connected with contact pieces arranged within the recess, feeding electric energy to the heating element arranged on the lower side of the dish.
From DE 25 43 667 A1, a device for storing, cooling and-heating individual foodstuffs is known, which comprises a tray for holding containers filled with meals and a shelf for receiving at least one tray, the shelf including means for cooling and heating the containers and the heating means substantially contacting the bottom of the container to be heated, to which end the tray is provided with positioning means and openings for the containers. That device facultatively enables the cooling or heating of individual containers with the tray inserted in the shelf, as well as the serving of the meals for consumption upon extraction of the tray from the shelf along with the containers disposed on it. It is disadvantageous that serving must be effected directly from the shelf in order to avoid cooling of the heated meals, thus impeding mobility.
The subject matter of U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,603 A relates to a tray for simultaneously serving hot and cold meals, particularly in an aircraft. In order to reduce efforts by the service personnel, the tray is comprised of a rigid base having at least one recess for cold meals, cutlery and the like, and heat-resistant means to hold a plurality of containers for hot meals as well as at least one further recess provided in the base to accommodate the holding means and containers for hot meals. Advantageously, the holding means are in the form of an inner tray with a plurality of recesses provided in its upper surface to hold the hot food containers. Prior to serving, the hot meals arranged in the holding means are heated and then placed on the tray. The hot meals may have strongly cooled when they arrive at the end consumer. To avoid this, the hot meals are usually heated too much, which may involve changes in the taste.
It is the object of the invention to provide a serving and transport receptacle for meals portioned in food dishes, which ensures the safe transport of the containers while keeping the meals warm until immediately before their consumption.
This object of the invention is reached by the characterizing features of claim 1. Surprisingly, it offers the advantage that the supply of the meals may be effected in one serving procedure both for hot meals and for other meals not affected by the heating or warming procedure, thus enabling a more versatile menu composition and simpler transport and service procedure.
Another option is the configuration according to claim 2, which enables the functionally simple manufacturing of a serving and transport receptacle base part. Yet, the configuration according to claim 3 is also advantageous, enabling the safe and correct positioning of the base part relative to the tray of the serving and transport receptacle.
Yet, the configuration according to claim 4 is also advantageous, rendering feasible the application of the tray without the use of a base part while, nevertheless, ensuring the safe and correct positioning of a food dish on the tray.
According to an advantageous advancement as described in claim 5, the strongly variable equipment of the serving and transport receptacle with different food dishes adapted to the respective requirements is feasible.
Yet, the configuration according to claim 6 is advantageous, too, offering to the user simple handling when detaching the base part from the tray, but also a user-conforming position during the consumption of the meals directly from the dish arranged in the base part. The configuration according to claim 7 is another option, providing a compact transport unit.
According to an advantageous further development as described in claim 8, an additional storing surface for food dishes is provided such that further courses that need not be heated or kept warm can be served in one serving procedure.
An advantageous advancement is described by claim 9, which, taking into account the usual dimensions of the food dishes such as, e.g., different food dish diameters for main courses, side dishes etc., offers the optimum spacial shape for the base part and the cover part.
In this context, the configuration according to claim 10 is possible, enabling securing during transportion by the slip-safe positioning a food dish deposited on the tray outside the base part.
According to an advantageous further development as described in claim 11, additional structural components are saved and a cost-effective configuration of the serving and transportation receptacle is obtained. Also the configurations according to claims 12 and 13 are of advantage, enabling the individual adaptation to different supply systems.
According to the characteristic features of claim 14, the direct deposition of heated food dishes on table surfaces provided, for instance, with synthetic coverings is feasible without any adverse effects, thus enabling cost-effective series production and offering a high safety factor to the user.
Finally, the configuration according to claim 15 is advantageous to the extent that an efficient energy input and a high stability for a long service life at a low empty weight are reached.